Tag Archives: Tena Stetler

It’s always a treat for me when a Wild Rose Press sistah drops by to chat – especially when it’s to chat about books and new releases! Today, Tena Stetlerdrops by to discuss her newest release A MAGIC REDEMPTION, book 5 in A Demon’s Witch series. It’s in my Kindle queue and I can’t wait to start it! Sit back and let’s listen to Tena…

Good Morning Peggy. Thanks for inviting me over to talk about my new release A Magic Redemption. I am so excited!

Synn the heroine of A Magic Redemption, fifth book of A Demon’s Witch Series, bounced into being during the writing of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance. I was surprised to see her transformation from a controlled warrior assassin that finally failed to do her master’s bidding. Then she risked her life to share important information to Bruce, the Demon Overlord for the Western Hemisphere for the benefit of man and magic kind. In exchange she was given her freedom and discovered what it was like to be part of a family again.

She was much more of a spit-fire than I imagined. Not having given it much thought until my editor, Lill, asked me what happened to Synn and Gavin at the end of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance. It gave me pause, until Synn danced through my mind, tapping her tiny foot and demanding that I write her story. Now! Gavin took flight right behind her in support of her demands. What choice did I have? A Magic Redemption was born.

I hope the readers have as much fun reading her story as I did writing it.

Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges.

Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her, their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.

When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear?

Exclusive Excerpt:

Darkness engulfed her. The voices in her head returned calling her a traitor suggesting retribution would be sweet and exacted soon. She fought against the words and covered her ears. As suddenly as the booming words came, it was silent. The dream shifted to a dank room, without windows, or light, and a darkness she could almost feel. Scraping sounds against a large wooden plank door grated on her nerves.

Magic failed her leaving her drained and unresponsive. She curled up in a fetal position. Baltizar’s voice whispered again in her mind. “I still control you. They’re all going to die a horrible death at my hands. You will get to watch. Just like when you failed to save your family.”

His wicked laugh echoed though her mind and faded. A warm liquid flowed over her hands. She looked down. They were covered in blood. Bodies were strewn over what looked like the dirt floor of a cave. Screaming, she awoke soaked with sweat, head pounding and blood trickled from her palms where her finger nails had sliced through the skin.

A loud bark came from the foot of her bed. She stumbled out of bed and rushed to Storm’s crate, knelt, and yanked open the door. A warm, fur ball bounded into her lap, the dog covered her face with kisses. She sat on the floor, tears streaming down her face dripping on the soft fur she buried her face in.

Never allowed to cry, she allowed the flood gates open, and cried for her family, mistakes made, decisions forced upon her, and wished she’d died in the battle with Baltizar. She wouldn’t be responsible for the deaths of her new friends, Gavin and his family, or Storm.

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends. After many years as a paralegal, then an IT Manager, she decided to live out her dream of pursuing a publishing career.

With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of witches, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, and gryphons, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors. During the winter you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Visit Tena’s website at http://www.tenastetler.com where you’ll find links to all of her books, blog and pictures of recent travels and setting of her books.

“Glad to have you, Tena my friend. Let’s start with what inspired A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance?”

“Several years ago I took a creative writing class to brush up my skills. Vampires had always intrigued me. Dark Shadows a 1966 TV show was a favorite of mine and Barnabas Collins was my dream. Yeah, I was a strange kid. Anyway, the assignment was to write about anything you wanted. Stefan, assassin to the Vampire Council was born. That summer we vacationed in Glacier National Park, I was struck by its beauty and possibilities as a setting for my vampire tale. I completed two-thirds of his story before I discovered another’s story, A Demon’s Witch, had to be told before I could finish Stefan’s. As it turned out there would be one more tale, A Warlock’s Secrets, before Stefan’s tale would be told. He became a secondary character in two of my paranormal romances before I finished his story. But it had to be an extraordinary vampire tale, so my vampire assassin transitioned to a midnight DJ in the small town of Whitefish, Montana.”

A solid knock on the door took me by surprise. “I’m not expecting anyone,”

He sticks his head in the door. “I’m not intruding, am I? Tena asked that I come by if I had a couple minutes. As luck would have it, I’ve got a bit of time before I meet Brandy for lunch.”

I blew out a breath drinking the tall, handsome vampire standing before me. “Of Course not. Stefan, have a seat and tell us about yourself.”

He eased down into the chair between us. “I became a vampire because I fell in love with the wrong woman. She was only toying with me, turned me and left on me on own. Unable to control my blood lust, I was a danger to myself and my tribe. My grandfather who raised me was the tribe’s shaman. Though it broke his heart, he asked me to leave the tribe, but not before he conjured a gold chain around my neck that allowed me to walk in the sunlight.”

“That’s powerful magic.”

“Yes, it was but didn’t keep me out of trouble. I was alone, rogue vampire who wandered into Lady Rose’s territory. Without a responsible sire, I was lucky Lady Rose didn’t terminate me immediately. After hearing my tale of being turned, she arranged for me to be mentored by one of her vampires, who happened to be the Vampire Council’s assassin.”

“So she offered you a vocation.”

“I guess so. I learned to live within the vampire rules and became proficient at my craft. When the kill orders became political, I was caught in the middle. To survive, I had to play both sides, but my allegiance remained with Lady Rose. A faction of the vampires broke off and tried a coup. Lady Rose quashed it and terminated those responsible. At that point I asked to be released from her service, something that a vampire rarely survives, but she allowed me to leave.”

“So what did you do next?”

I drifted around a while, careful not to interlope into another vampire’s territory. Settled in Whitefish, Montana, a little town located outside Glacier National Park. As it turned out the man I rented a cabin from was the manager of a local radio station. One of those over-friendly sorts. You know that type?

“I do.”

“He offered me the midnight DJ position and from there things got interesting. I met Brandy who had secrets of her own. A fated trip to Ireland reveals more than a family reunion at Christmas.” He glances at his watch. “Unfortunately, that’s all the time I have.” He stood bowed slightly, reached out and brought my hand to his lips. “It was a pleasure talking with you.”

I fan my face with the useless interview script. “The pleasure was all mine.” In a whisper of movement, he was gone – the door closed quietly. It took a couple of beats for me to gather my thoughts.

“Tell us a little more about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance.”

Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…

Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.

Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?

A sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance.

It was nearly midnight when he cut across the Sun Road to another trailhead, so intent on his goal that he nearly collided with an attractive young woman. He skidded to a stop, spraying gravel, rocks, and small twigs down the road in front of him. A pinecone dislodged and bounced along the road past her. Tall and slender, she had miles of fiery-red hair that hung down her back in a cascade of curls. Intense emerald eyes stared back at him as he attempted to regain his composure, not to mention balance. What the hell was she doing here at this time of night?

“Whoa.” She stepped lightly to the side to avoid the flying debris. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially at that speed.” Her voice scolded, but the smile on her lips teased. “Someone could get hurt.”

A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance is available for pre-order at Amazon , itunes and Barnes & Noble. Release date November 29, 2017. Just in time for Christmas. Reserve your copy today!

About the Author:

Tena Stetler is a best-selling paranormal romance author with an over-active imagination. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. Her books spin the adventures of magical kick-ass women and the mystical alpha males that dare to love them.

One of my lovely and talented writing friends, TENA STETLER, has a new paranormal release — A WARLOCK’S SECRETS — and she’s visiting me today, along with one of her characters, Hannah Shaughnessy, to tell you a little about the book and how it came to be. I’ve got a few questions for these two, so sit back and let’s get to know them a little better. And stick around – Tena’s giving you a treat at the end…

Tena, tell us a little about writing this story.A Warlock’s Secrets was one of the hardest books to write. I write by the seat of my pants. Most characters come to me and boom, I know their name, and tell me their story. Tristian was a secondary character in A Demon’s Witch, and a difficult one at that. Who would ever imagine an enforcer/assassin would charm my readers and reviewers so much that they demand his story be written? Tristian taunted and tested me every step of the way. But I believe it’s one of my best novels yet. Hannah, aww… she gave him a run for his money, but it was worth every penny. LOL. The family and friends that surrounded them were the best. Looking back I had a lot of fun writing the story too.

But Hannah is here today to tell you a little bit about her.

Hannah Shaughnessy, meet Peggy Jaeger.

Hi Hannah, nice to meet you. How about telling us a little about the real you— I am a cyber security specialist. Came to the U.S., from Ireland to attend college, graduated early and was snapped up by a big cyber security firm. My family is close, and holds our guarded secret closer. I love my little cottage in Misty Harbor, Maine. On one of the worst days of my life, I stopped in a little diner and vented to the waitress I know there. This unbelievably hot man with intense blue-gray eyes, asked to join me. All I could do was nod, hoping the drool didn’t pool in the corners of my mouth. He was having a bad day too. We talked for hours. But his magic signature was disguised.

What event in your past has left the most indelible impression on you?Being sucked into a world I didn’t know existed and danger that lurked there.

What was the hardest thing you ever had to do?Keep my relationship with Tristian a secret from my sister. She attended college over here too, she’s a park ranger and we’d always told each other everything. With Tristian, I couldn’t.

What do you most value? Family and trusted friends. I know it sounds cliché, but when danger finds you, family and friends are all you can trust to be there for you.

What type of man do you want to spend the rest of your life with?A confident man with a strong moral compass and a kind and compassionate heart.

What do you consider most important in life?Being true to yourself.

What is your biggest secret? Oh, now I can’t tell you that or it wouldn’t be a secret anymore. But I guarantee it’s a doozy. LOL

Who were the biggest role models in your life?My mom. She raised my sister and I, worked at the family pub, and knew when to let us try our wings at colleges in America. It was hard for her but she supported us and our dreams all the way.

What kind of man would you never choose?Until Tristian, I’d never fallen for a “bad boy type”. But… wow… did he fit that category.

What is your biggest fear? Losing someone close to me. Tristian’s profession is dangerous and can affect family and friends, though he does his best to protect us.

It was nice meeting you. But I gotta get going, I’m on my way to check out the new digs in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the company I work for, Shadow Hawk Cyber.

A Warlock’s Secrets

Blurb:

Years ago, a sacred ceremony at the Dragon’s Moon Coven turned deadly. Son of the high priestess, Tristian Shandie’s life changed forever. With a price on his head and revenge in his heart, he has no choice but to follow in his father’s footsteps to a profession shrouded in secrets. Now his skills as an enforcer for the Demon Overlord are second to none. But dangerous secrets he harbors are a liability he can no longer afford.

A chance meeting with a woman he finds irresistible flips Tristian’s world upside down. Hannah is a cyber security specialist with secrets of her own. Bad boys never appealed to her until Tristian, who changes everything. In his darkest hours, she is dragged into his magical world.

If they survive, is she strong enough to heal his heart and tame the warlock? Or will their secrets destroy them?

Excerpt:

Inside the house, a shadow passed by the huge bay window. She held her breath. Am I really going to go through with this?

Walking up the steps to the house, she paused. Why would he leave such an expensive car sitting out when he had a four-car garage? She was stalling. Straightening her shoulder’s she used the brass doorknocker. There was no answer. She knocked again.

The heavy oak door creaked open. Tristian stood shirtless, his abs rippled as he raised one muscular arm to lean on the doorframe. The skintight blue jeans hung low on his hips and his hair tousled as if he’d not been awake long.

When he stared at her, with those huge blue-gray eyes, tingles careened up her spine. She covered her mouth in case drool pooled in the corners her mouth. He was one sexy male. She sucked in a breath and opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. A brow arched, he peered questioningly at her then twisted to glance backward into the house. The sunlight streaming through the doorway accentuated several scars across his chest, rib area and a healed slash across his back. Who gets those kinds of battle scars and lives to tell the tale? Not going to ask. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

The corner of his mouth curved up in an inviting sexy-as-hell grin. “Good morning, Hannah. What a surprise.”

Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance and cozy mystery author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, Tena sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures telling her their tales. Colorado is her home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them.

Today I’m giving you a real treat! Christmas is my favorite time of the year and it would take days to explain why. But one of the reasons I sososos enjoy the holiday time is because of the wonderful books that are published each year during the Holiday season, and about the Holiday Season, so today I’m giving you a gift: three new Holiday/Christmas books from The Wild Rose Press. My own Christmas novel, A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS releases on 11/30, but more about that later.

Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz have built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. During a romantic interlude on Halloween night, Pepper happily agrees to become Lathen’s wife. What better day than Winter Solstice for their wedding in a town that loves celebrations and Christmas. However, planning a wedding and operating their wildlife center takes a toll on both Pepper and Lathen.

When the couple takes a much-needed break for Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife. Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, while trying to deal with issues concerning friends and family. Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?

Excerpt:

A strong arm whipped around her waist, the air whooshed out as she squealed. Pepper balled up her gloved fist as a large warm hand wrapped around her wrist. “I’ve seen you defend yourself. Not going to chance it.” A deep voice chuckled behind her.

“Lathen — I’m going to…”

He spun her around and covered her cold lips with his warm ones. Werewolves run several degrees warmer than most of the population, one of the many things she loved about him. She relaxed into him, their parkas making a wisping sound as the material rubbed against each other. “That’s better,” he murmured against her lips.

All at once the lights in the town square blinked on. Low positioned red and green laser light decorations sparkled over the snow-covered ground and onto the gazebo complementing the white lights. From the other direction, a blue laser sprinkled tiny snowflakes across the building. Evening fell quickly in December.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” She breathed against his chilled cheek and whirled out of his hold taking in all the lighted decorations not visible earlier. Then she pointed toward the bulletin board. “I’ve been reading the town’s holiday events, Lobster Cove really embraces Christmas.”

“Told you.” Lathen said smugly. “Even some of the boats docked in the harbor are decked out with colored lights.”

Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance and cozy mystery author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance at the age of thirteen, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them.

For most people, the holidays are a time of warmth, happiness and celebration. But to Jenna Samuels, they mean only one thing. Mounting debt. A single mother, Jenna struggles to make ends meet and to her, it’s a season of excess and distress.

James Garrison is in over his head, too. His ex-wife said he wasn’t equipped to take care of his twins, and now that he’s got joint custody, he fears she was right. They’re wild, spoiled, and always fighting. When they knock Jenna’s daughter into the “Gifting Tree,”—a part of their town’s charity collection—the parents are immediately attracted to each other. But James has had his fill of cold women and Jenna won’t make the mistake of falling for another man who disappears when life gets too heavy.

As their paths cross, James and Jenna must decide whether first impressions are accurate, or if sometimes, people are not what you assume at all.

Excerpt:

I needed some air. I just attacked a man for no good reason. Sure, one of his kids almost send Nora tumbling into a tree, but I could tell he was overwhelmed and I pounced anyway.

While his kids fought, the guy covered his face with his hands – the international sign for losing parental control. As he removed his hands, though, an awful thing happened. I got a good look at him and heat ran through every crevice of my body. No one should be as handsome as that guy was. Plus, I always had a thing for guys who were in over their heads, and he was definitely drowning with those kids.

I hadn’t reacted that way to a guy in a long time and I didn’t want to. My life was on track. I didn’t need some annoyingly smoky-hot, anti-super-dad screwing up my plans.

It was a problem because he clearly enjoyed the view, too. I knew what guys were thinking when they looked at me, and spoke to me, that way. When I mixed the way he was engrossed in me with my reaction to him, plans got derailed and things like Nora happened. Those smouldery guys don’t stick around once the Noras of the world arrive. So even though they’re still scorching hot, they no longer act like you are.

K.K. Weil grew up in Queens, but eventually moved to New York City, the inspiration for many of her stories. Weil, who attended SUNY Albany as an undergrad and NYU as a graduate student, is a former teacher. She now enjoys writing her own dramas and lives near the beach in New Jersey, where she is at work on her next novel.

Blurb: Logan Mackinnon, confirmed bachelor, has put his life on hold to help his father care for his mother and honor her dying wish to tour Stirling Castle. Sparks fly when Logan meets Irene Redmond on the tour, and they are both transported back in time to the thirteenth century. But their budding romance is tested when they learn the conditions needed for their return to the twenty-first century. The castle is enchanted and only a marriage between two people who truly love each other will break the spell.

Irene Redmond expected to unravel family secrets, instead she meets Logan Mackinnon, a man who awakens long-ago dreams of a happily-ever-after. But are their feelings strong enough to break the castle’s enchantment?

She clung to his neck as he gathered her closer. She could feel his heart beat against her chest, or was that hers? Random thoughts popped in and out. How had he reached her so fast? Did he think she was clumsy? Too heavy?

Pathetic. He’d saved her, and all she could think about was her weight. Still…

She squirmed in his arms. “Thank you, but you can put me down.”

“And blow my one chance to rescue a beautiful damsel in distress? Not a chance. Besides, we’re almost there.”

Although the bagpipes were louder and she could hear the haunting notes of a flute, the mist was as dense as ever. “How can you tell?” She said.

She felt a rumble of laughter rise in his chest. “It’s a guess. I haven’t a clue.”

Pam Binder is an award-winning Amazon and New York Times bestselling author. Publishers Weekly has said: “Binder gracefully weaves elements of humor, magic and romantic tensions into her novels.” Drawn to Celtic legends and anything Irish or Scottish, Pam blends historical events, characters, and myths into everything she writes. Pam is also a conference speaker, writing instructor, and president of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. http://pambinder.com

So there you have it. 3 reasons this holiday season is going to be so much better!!

Day 2 of The Wild Rose Press’ new series CANDY HEARTS. Today, Let me introduce you to authors Judy Ann Davis, Maureen Bonatch, and Tena Stetler and their additions to the series: SWEET KISS, FORGET ME NOT, and CHARM ME. And don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter from the Wild Rose Press to win a KINDLE FIRE ( details are at the end of the releases.)

Sweet Kiss (Judy Ann Davis)

Blurb:

Hard-working Kate Clark opens a thriving coffee shop that quickly becomes the local hang-out for students and the community. Her one wish is to eventually buy out her sister’s share of the old Florida home they inherited. However, Violet is in desperate need of cash and has other plans.

Tappe Vanderberg, Kate’s childhood friend and high school sweetheart, has sold his lucrative internet security business to return to Little Heron Shores and fulfill his dreams of owning a marina. Now the handsome Dutch-born businessman is making waves with single women all over town—including loony, post mistress Eva May Poole who’s in search of husband number three.

But it’s Kate Clark who’s wreaking havoc with Tappe’s heart, not Eva May. Can he find a way to shake the dingbat post mistress and convince Kate to give him a second chance and the sweet kiss he remembers from an earlier time?

Excerpt:

Tappe picked up the grimy jar of candy hearts. “No way! I can’t believe Fay saved your candy hearts.” He twisted off the lid and shook one into his hand.

“Neither can I. Don’t you dare put that into your mouth. Those candies are over a decade old!”

“So? Sugar doesn’t spoil.”

“Okay, go ahead. Eat it. Poison yourself. Why should I care?” she said drily. “Just don’t call me in the middle of the night.” With a shake of her head, she turned back to the stove, took out a cold plate from the freezer, and plopped a teaspoon of the liquid from the bubbling pot on it, then ran a finger through the mixture to see if the jam stayed parted and stable, refusing to run together. She removed the pot from the stove, set it on the table, and started filling the pint and half-pint jars.

“You don’t mean that.” He dropped the candy back into the jar, and came up behind her. He started nuzzling her on the side of her neck.

“Do you realize I’m working with hot liquids?” She tried to be stern as she squirmed away still holding the hot pot. She could never quite pull off reprimanding

Tappe, especially when he was on a roll. And he was on a roll.

“Not as hot as you are. Want to make out?”

Kate looked at him askance. “Now? Here? Are you sane?”

“Yes, I’m fairly lucid. But if your answer is a no to making out, then can I lick the pot instead?”

Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as acopy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines, and anthologies, and have received numerous awards.

When Judy Ann is not behind a computer, you canfind her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are

few.

She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and lives with her husband in Central PA.

The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can’t recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she’ll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4. To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their “rinky-dink” town in her rearview mirror.

If Cole can’t believe she’s a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

Excerpt:

The boxes of candy hearts Julie forgot spilled across the floor.

Cole hunkered down and gathered the papers. His mouth formed a hard line as he glanced at Sabrina’s leave paperwork with the end date prominently circled. He replaced it on the table under the keys.

“No really, I can do it. You stay, Cole. I’ll be right back.” Sabrina caught her reflection in the mirror on the wall. The quest for a coat resulted in her hair looking as if she’d stuck her finger into an electrical outlet. Her appearance matched her desperation. She ran her hands over her head, but the static filled strands resisted smoothing.

“I need to check on Dad anyway, and it’s on my way. I’ll take Josie.” Cole extended his elbow, and Josie latched on like a lifeline, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket. She skittered across a few of the remaining candies, crushing Be Mine and Love Me on the floor. “Thanks again for dinner, Marge.”

“Cole wait.” Despair leaked into Sabrina’s plea.

He glanced toward the papers on the table and sighed. “I waited for years, Rena. It’s you who waited too long.”

As the door closed behind him, so did the future with Cole that she’d imagined. Her shoulders fell. She knelt to collect the candy hearts scattered on the floor. Forget Me Not and Hug Me taunted her with their cheerful words. Lacking a garbage bag, she shoved a handful of the candies into her jacket pocket. Several hearts were trodden into tiny pieces, like her own.

Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

Blurb: Summer Dawn Riley’s an extraordinary elemental witch whose troubled past haunts her. She’s created a calm life for herself teaching yoga and keeping people at a distance. Her life takes a one eighty degree turn when she enrolls in a women’s weapons class and meets ruggedly handsome Devlin Sawyer.

Devlin, a former Navy Seal, has sworn off women after two long-term failed relationships, but there is no denying his attraction to Summer. She intrigues him like no other woman ever has. Despite her attempts to ignore him, Summer is drawn to Devlin. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock. Will Valentine’s Day magic find them a future together?

Excerpt:

Getting to her feet, she brushed the dust from her black yoga pants, tugged at the bottom of her bright orange tunic, and flipped the light switch on. A soft glow of florescent lighting flooded the large room, soothing Summer’s nerves. Guess she would never be the same carefree individual she was before the incident. Oh, shake it off. You’re safe and it’s time to get on withlife. “Come on Pip, let’s get this place open.”

A massive stone fireplace towered in the corner. She picked up an arm full of wood and flung it in the general direction. Logs landed in the fire pit and neatly arranged themselves in a tepee shape. With a magic flick of her finger toward the hearth, flames raced up the aspen logs. “That’s better.”

She raised her arms, about to send the yoga mats back to their proper place when the heavy wooden front door creaked open. Piper rushed toward the door, teeth bared and a growl rumbled in her throat. Summer whirled around and yelped as Devlin ambled into the room, black hair tousled and glistening with melting snowflakes. His nonchalance at the dog’s approach surprised her as he slowed to a stop. Piper sniffed around him, backed up a few inches, then stood at alert in front of Devlin.

“You scared the bejeebers out of me.” Summer held her hand to her chest as her heart thundered.

“What are you doing here?”

“Call your guard dog off and I’ll tell you.” The corners of Devlin’s mouth curved up into a smile, a faint light twinkled in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Piper, leave it…come.” The dog gave Devlin a last sideways glance, trotted back to Summer and sat at her side.

Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance at the age of twelve, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends Colorado is her home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn.

Tena is a paranormal romance author with a self-proclaimed over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance at the age of twelve, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is her home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. She’s sounds like fun, right? I “Sat” down with her recently and put her through the Peggy Jaeger questions. Here’s the interview:

Tena,The Writer

What drives you to write? The stories in my head. They have always been there, as long as I can remember. As I’ve mentioned before, I wrote my first vampire romance as a tween. Even my mother thought I was a strange kid. My friends loved my stories.

What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? Paranormal Romance. Why, because of the magic and the ability to whisk away my readers from their normal, just for a while.

What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical Medevil. For the same reason I write it to escape reality.

What’s your writing schedule? I write about 6 – 8 hours a day. Do you write everyday? Yes. Wednesday Mornings is my promo time. Lately its taken up a bit more time, but I try to stay to that routine.

Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate office on the main floor of my home.

Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnelvision? I like it quiet. My parrot talks in the background, my dog runs in and out and I like that.

Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? When I am editing, I listen to Rock, like Bon Jovi, ect. When I write, it’s quite.

How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? That would be A Wedding For The Holidays – It was my Nano project. I wrote A Witch’s Journey – Lobster Cove book (TWRP contracted in November) and found that the characters where not done with me — at all. So we worked out a holiday story that covers Thanksgiving – through New Years Day to finish their story. I hope. I’m not quite done yet, but it’s coming along.

Which comes first for you – character or plot? The characters. They tell me who they are what they are doing and the story they want told. And why? To make the voices be quiet for a while. I can only ignore them for so long, or they will invade my dreams.

What 3 words describes you, the writer? Driven. Quirky. Passionate.

Tena, The Person

Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I’m a geek. I love technology.

Who was your first love and what age were you? That would be my husband and at age 23 years.

If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and…. The day I got my first book contract. I think I squealed all day long.

Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?Briefs — No let’s make that commando.

If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? Mascara. Being blonde, I look like I have no eyelashes without mascara.

What three words describes you, the person? Honest, Loyal and have a strong moral compass.

If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Elvis Presley’s Can Help Falling In Love.

If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? The Werewolf, Cooper, from Molly Harper’s How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf. He was a hot alpha male, and a guide in Alaska. We would explore the Alaska Outback and Denali National Park.

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

Favorite sound – An Eagle’s cry

Least favorite sound – Nails on a chalk board

Best song every written – I Will Always Love You. (Whitney Houston)

Worst song ever written – Anything from Bob Dylan

Favorite actor and actress – Chris Helmsworth and Sandra Bullock

Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead) Bindi Irwin – I love her conservation mindset and the fact she lives in Australia Zoo, working with the animals on a daily basis. I was also a big fan of her father, Steve Irwin. I’ll never forget the eulogy she gave for her father when she was just 8 years old. It was amazing.

What turns you on? Confidence

What turns you off? Ego

Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) Have we met in a former life?

What’s your version of a perfect day? Last year for my birthday, my husband arranged for a private tour of Cheyenne Mountain Air Station (NORAD) I’d wanted to do that my whole life. It was perfect!

Blurb: Summer Dawn Riley’s an extraordinary elemental witch whose troubled past haunts her. She’s created a calm life for herself teaching yoga and keeping people at a distance. Her life takes a one eighty degree turn when she enrolls in a women’s weapons class and meets ruggedly handsome Devlin Sawyer.

Devlin, a former Navy Seal, has sworn off women after two long-term failed relationships, but there is no denying his attraction to Summer. She intrigues him like no other woman ever has. Despite her attempts to ignore him, Summer is drawn to Devlin. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock. Will Valentine’s Day magic find them a future together?

Excerpt

Getting to her feet, she brushed the dust from her black yoga pants, tugged at the bottom of her bright orange tunic, and flipped the light switch on. A soft glow of florescent lighting flooded the large room, soothing Summer’s nerves. Guess she would never be the same carefree individual she was before the incident. Oh, shake it off. You’re safe and it’s time to get on withlife. “Come on Pip, let’s get this place open.”

A massive stone fireplace towered in the corner. She picked up an arm full of wood and flung it in the general direction. Logs landed in the fire pit and neatly arranged themselves in a tepee shape. With a magic flick of her finger toward the hearth, flames raced up the aspen logs. “That’s better.”

She raised her arms, about to send the yoga mats back to their proper place when the heavy wooden front door creaked open. Piper rushed toward the door, teeth bared and a growl rumbled in her throat. Summer whirled around and yelped as Devlin ambled into the room, black hair tousled and glistening with melting snowflakes. His nonchalance at the dog’s approach surprised her as he slowed to a stop. Piper sniffed around him, backed up a few inches, then stood at alert in front of Devlin.

“You scared the bejeebers out of me.” Summer held her hand to her chest as her heart thundered.

“What are you doing here?”

“Call your guard dog off and I’ll tell you.” The corners of Devlin’s mouth curved up into a smile, a faint light twinkled in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Piper, leave it…come.” The dog gave Devlin a last sideways glance, trotted back to Summer and sat at her side.

One final thought from Tena!

I just like to add a little about my debut novel A Demon’s Witch. If you’re looking for an exciting feel good romance for someone for Christmas, please check out A Demon’s Witch.

Blurb: Keeping a lid on all the paranormal beings inhabiting Washington D.C., is a daunting job. Bruce, a six hundred year old demon and the Territory Overlord of the Western Hemisphere, keeps his finger on the pulse of DC’s power players through the activities at his highly successful Wycked Hair Salon. His movie star good looks and body builder physique keeps his dance card full and the rumor mills running. Within these walls, his anonymity is safe, mostly.
Bruce’s world spins out of control when Angelique, a pint size, gorgeous witch, with an attitude breezes through the doors of his salon. She is the younger sister of Tristian, Bruce’s long time trusted enforcer, whose professional skills are second to none. Tristian is furious at the relationship between Bruce and Angelique, a dangerous situation. The undeniable attraction between demon and witch promises to tear apart both their professional and personal worlds.